A Tragedy of Life and Death
by princessOFdarkeness
Summary: Victor and Victoria loved each other and ended up with each other in the end of the movie right? When Victor dies suddenly of an untimely death, Victoria is spiralling downward into a deep depression that's hurting her health, and what will happen to them
1. Something Wicked This Way Comes

Before we get started with this,I do not own any of the Corpse Bride charactors (If I did, Victoria wuld be a bit more exciting!)

Alright then, the important stuff. A charator dies, so if you don't want to read about the death of a beloved Corpse Bride charactor, I'd stop reading right here. Now that's out of the way, on with the story!

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The Tragedy of Life and Death

_**By: princessOFdarkness**_

Victor and Victoria were in love, everyone knew that. Victor had asked Victoria for her hand in marriage as soon as they had left the church together that faithful night, as the beautiful white butterflies of Emily's departed soul whired around them. Victoria had said yes, tears of happiness sliding down her face as Victor kissed her. They were together again, and nothing could tear them apart this time.

Except maybe Victoria's doubts about what had happened with Vitcor and Emily. Everytime Victoia brought it up, Victor grew quiet and changed the subject, telling her othing had happened and to please stop bringing it up, but Victoria couldn't stop bringing it up because it was important to her to know thw truth.

"Victor dear." Victoria sighed, setting aside her needlework. "Can you come here and talk to me for a moment?"

"Of course my love." Victor said, shutting the lid on the piano's ivory and granite keys. All Victor did anymore was play the piano, draw butterflies, and tell Victoria how much he loved her. How they kept up an income, Victoria never knew, and she didn't really care as long as she didn't have to do any work she was fine. "What is it Victoria my love? What's troubling you?" Victor said, sitting down next to her of the loveseat.

"Well dear, I was just thinking." Victoria said slowly, approaching the subject carefully. She didn't want Victor to be upset, and she was upset just thinking about the last time she had brought up Emily and what had happened. "I was just thinking, well, we owe Emily so much. She's part of the reason we're together and so happy. Why don't we give her a proper tombstone or something splendid like that. You know, as a thank you of sorts."

Victora had expected Victor to be angry with her, to be upset, to slink away from the subject of Emily as he awlays did. What she didn't except was for him to jump up, run out onto the balcony to press himself against the slippery edge.

"Why do you insist on bringing this up Victoria? I swear there was nothing between us! Why won't you leave me alone?" Victor stuttered, screaming at her over the roar of the rain. He stomped his foot, sliding slightly, and tumbling backwards over the edge of the railing.

Victoria screamed, running out onto the balcony as well, though not falling over the edge, instead clinging to it for dear life. Vitcoria placed a hand over her eyes much like a small umbrella as she looked down from the balcony to where Victor had fallen. he lay sprawled in the rose bushes, his body unmoving. Victoria screamed again crying as she looked down on the body of her fallen love, then fainted dead away onthe the floor of the balcony to be found hours later by the housekeeper.

Victor had died, the fall from thirty some feet enough to kill anyone who wasn't already dead. Victoria had developed pneumonia from having fainted out in the rain, and upon being told that Victor had died, went spiralling into a deep depersion, unable to let go of the haunting feeling that she was somehow responcible for his death. She was so ill, no one was sure that she would make it through. She had no will to live now that Victor was gone.

Victor moaned, opening his eyes one at a time. This place looked oddly familiar, but he knew he shouldn't be here. Victoria and him didn't live here, so why was he here? He remembered talking to Victoria. Not the conversation he had been having, but that they had been talking about something.

"I went out on the balcony, it was raining and..." Victor broke off, placing his face in his hands. "How did I end up here? And where is here?"

"Why, you're dead my dear." A long legged black widow spider said, scuttling up his arm onto his shoulder. "Victor, is that you? Good gracious! I wasn't expecting to see you for quite a while."

"What do you mean I'm dead?" Victor said, brushing the spider off his shoulder. "Wait, I remember you! You're a friend of Emily, right?"

"Was a friend dear, Emily crossed over, thanks to you love." The spider said sweetly, beginning a new web. "And you're dead my dear, just look at yourself." Victor did look down, his mouth falling open. His skin was paler, if you can believe that, so that it look see-through. His clothes were wet, and covered will cuts and rose pettles.

"What happened to me?" Victor asked, standing up. Then it hit him like a hammer to the brain. "What about Victoria, my poor girl! What will she do without me to tell her how much I love her? And what am I going to do now? I'm dead!" Victor broke down, falling to his knees, tears falling down his face onto the dirt.

"Calm down now Victor dear, it will all be fine." The sider said consolingly, looking up from her web. "Why not go talk to Elder Gutnecht? He might know how to help you." Victor looked up at the spider, concidering his oppsions. Cincidering he had no other oppsions, he decided he might as well give it a try.

"Thank you Spider, you've been very helpful." Victor said, bowing to the spider, before running off for Elder Gutnecht's tower where he lived. He walked up the hundred or so steps and through the door into the crowded study where the skeleton was sleeping at his desk. "Elder Gutnecht? Can you help me?"

"What's that? Who's there now, who is it?" Thw old skeleton looked around blearily, pushing his glasses farther up on his face, as he had no nose anymore. He gazed down at Victor, concidering him for a moment before answering. "Victor my boy! You look, well, dead to thell the truth."

"I am dead Elder Gutnecht. I just woke up here a moment ago, and I don't know what happened." Victor said loudly, projecting his voice so the old skeleton could hear him. "I need to speak with my wife, Victoria, and she if she is alright. She might be able to tell me what heppened to me."

"Alright, give me some time." Elder Gutnecht called down from his desk. He began riffling through his many books, looking for something. "Sit down over there Victor, this may take a while."

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Okay, I'll admit it, I killed Victor! There, I said it, are you happy? Oh well, he was going to die eventually in someone elses story no doubt. You know someone else is going to kill him off eventually, it makes for a good story. So, what's going to happen toVictoria now that Victor's gone? More to come soon! Review please! 


	2. A Life Unraveling

Alright, chapter 2 is finally up. Sorry it took me so long, but I sat down and really thought about how to word things. It had to be just right, I knew, so here it is.

Thanks to my reviewers, please keep on reviewing!

Hope you like it! On with the show!

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Chapter 2

_Victor snored slightly, rolling over in his sleep. He felt something warm and soft press against his side, an arm wrapping itself around his waist, pulling his closer. He smiled, flipping over to view the lovely face of his sleeping bride. Victoria was so beautiful, always an angel to him. In the dark, her pale skin seemed to glow with an unearthy quality that Victor couldn't explain even to him self. All he knew for certain was that he loved her with all his heart and than he wanted her to be happy until the bitter end. The bitter end ... It made Victor shudder slightly even as he pulled Victoria's warm, sleeping form closer to him as she moved to rest her head on his shouldering her sleep, smiling sweetly up at him. Victor thought sadly of how close he had come to never experiencing any of this, of how close he had been to killing himself to be with Emily even though in his heart he had known he had loved Victoria. But Victor had thought she had moved on, and so he had decided to move on as well. _

_Victoria shifted in her sleep, opening her eyes to look up at him blearily. Once she saw he was awake as well she smiled, laying her head back on his shoulder, her arms going to cirlce around his neck. _

_"What's wrong dear Victor?" Victoria asked sleepily. "What's wrong?"_

_"Nothing, I just can't sleep, that's all." Victor had said, stroking her hair lightly with his hand. "I love you so much Victoria."_

_"And I love you, Victor." Victoria said sweetly, looking up at him. She leaned forward to kiss his lips tenderly and..._

"WAKE UP WILL YOU?"

Victor jumped, falling out of his chair. He had fallen asleep, dreaming fondly of his love. Elder Gutnecht had shouted loudly as he could to wake him, slamming a book down his desk. Victor picked himself off the ground, brushing the dirt off his pants as he walked over to the desk.

"Well, can you help me Elder Gutnecht?" Victor asked quietly, looking up at Elder Gutnecht through heavy lidded and watery eyes. His dream about his love had only made him want to get back to his Victoria that much faster. "Is there a way?"

"Of course there is, I only had to find the right book. Do you remember the haunting spell you and young Miss Emily used a while back? How about that then?" Elder Gutnecht asked, pushing his glasses up again. Victor paled, if that was possible.

"Yes." Victor said, his voice tight.

"Good, then stand just there okay?" Elder Gutnecht said, smiling with his toothless grin. "Just say hopscotch to come home then." Elder Gutnecht broke the egg over Victor's head, and Victor closed his eyes. He was back, standing in the roase bushes in front of the house under the balcony he had fallen from.

"Oh Victoria!" Vctor sighed, running to the door. He opened the door, rushing inside and up the stairs to her room. He opened the door to their room quietly, peeking inside. There she was, lying on her back on the bed, dead asleep. Victor walked over to the bed to look at her, tears rising behind his eyes. She looked so sad somehow even as she slept, as though life without him had robbed her of her happiness completely. Her hair was down, fanning out around her on the clean, white pillows. There were red makes around her eyes and down her cheeks, evidence that she had cried for him. She looked so strange, lying there all on her own, not snuggled up against him. As he watched her, she flipped over, turning away from him as she sighed in her sleep.

Victor longed to touch her face, her hand, to kiss her plump, red lips, to feel her wrap her arms around his neck, but he knew he couldn't. He wanted to wake her, but no. He stood by the bed, watching her as tears fell from his eyes for a long time. Victor felt it would be best to let her wake up on her own, as not to scare her. He felt due to the current circumstances, he should let everything figure its self out without any help from him.

Victor heard someone pulling on the doorknob and he gasped, ducking behind the curtains pulled over the balcony to hide as the housekeeper walked in the room, a bowl of warm water in her hands.

"Poor Miss Victoria." The housekeeper sighed, placing the wet cloth over Victoria's forehead. "She's just so ill, and the shock of Mr. Victor's death and all isn't helping. She blames herself, poor thing. Oh, my yound mistress is dying from heartache, she is. What am I to do?"

"Hmmm." Victoria sighed, opening her eyes slightly to look up at the housekeeper.

"Oh my! I'm sorry to wake you Miss." The housekeeper said, flustered. "I meant no harm."

"I know, you didn't wake me. I woke on my own, I promsie." Victoria moaned, pulling the covers higher up over her feverish body. "My head feels so hot, but the rest of me is chilled to the bone."

"I'll leave you then. Get some rest Miss." The housekeeper said, bowing out of the room. Victoria pulled herself up a little higher on the pillows to prop herself up. Sighing, she placed a hand over her eyes, crying again. Victor squirmed uncomfortably from behind the curtains. He wanted to rush out from behind the curtains and comfort her, pull her into his arms and hold her tight, but he couldn't, he knew that. And it killed him inside ... Sort of.

"Oh my dear sweet Victor, how I miss you!" Victoria sobbed, pressing her hands over her eyes sadly. "I wish I could see you again, just once! That would be enough for me!"

"I can help you there." Victor said softly, stepping out from behind the curtains at last. Victoria gasped, looking up at Victor from behind her hands. She gasped, pulling back slightly. "I can to see you, but you were asleep, so I waited, but then the housekeeper came so I hid, I'm so sorry."

"Victor, is it really you?" Victoria gasped, pushing back the covers, making to get out of the bed.

"Don't get up, you're ill!" Victor said, rushing forward to stop her. His hand touched hers, and she pulled back.

"You're so cold." Victoria said, touching his hand again. "Oh Victor, I missed you!"

"I missed you too." Victor said, wishing he could wrap his arms around her, but he didn't. "What are we going to do? I have to go back to the Land of the Dead, eventually."

"Do you?" Victoria said, saring up at him through heavily lidded eyes shining with tears. Victor hated to see her cry. "Do you really have to go, so soon?"

"Not this instant, no." Victor said, walking to the other side of the room. "But eventually, I mean look at me. How long do you really think you can hide something like me?"

"We'll think of soemthing." Victoria said, slumping back along the bed. Then she sprang up again, a smile plastered to her face. "I have it! The answer to all our problems!"

"What?" Victor asked quickly, going to sit on the bed. He didn't like the look on Victoria's face. He knew this wasn't going to be good, whatever it was. It was going to cause problems, he just knew it!

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What's Victoria's marvelous plan? Find out next time, right here on the 'Slightly Disturbing Stories Channel' LOL, Just kidding! Until next time then, ta ta for now! 


	3. Solutions At Last

Okay, so sorry it took me this long to update, don't be too mad at me! I had other stories to work on and I got way behind on some of them, like this one for example! Ha ha, well here it is then!

On with the show!

Chapter 3

_"What is it dear, what's troubling you so?" Victoria whispered from behind me, her arms lacing around me from behind as she pressed herself against my back. I smiled, she was as curious as ever, my lovely little wife. I had often wonderedif it was possible to die of so much love being pressed upon me by her. If it was possible, I would have been dead long before now surely. "Are you alright dear? You look a little flustered." _

_"I'm always flustered around you dear." I mumbered, turning in my arms to pull her closer against my chest. She giggled, a wonderful sound to my ears indeed. "I love you so Victoria, and your love for me is what has me constantly confused. I don'y deserve your." _

_"Of course you do!" Victoria sighed, pulling back to stare up into my face. "I love you Victor, never doubt that."_

"Victoria! My love, please stop this!" Victor said quietly, pulling his hand out of Victoria's grip. She had insisted they leave the house they had once shared to put her plan into action that very instant. She had led Victor by the hand ot of the house and into the night where no one would follow them or watch them too closely. Victoria ad led him across the bridge and into the woods, pulling him deeper in those all too familiar woods that he had hated when Emily had kept him there underground in the Land or the Dead. Victoria set herself lady-like down on a withered stump beside him staring up into his face looking a bit confused. "Darling, where aer you taking me? And what is this brillaint plan of yours, I have to know before I will ever concider helping you with it if that's why you're bringing me along. Tell me the plan dear."

"Well, if you promise not to be angry with me I'll tell you." Victoria sighed pulling a stone out of her slipper before smoothing ot her nigthgown. Victoria had seemed too determined to see her plan through to worry about little things like her being in her nightgown or not wearing propper shoes, though Victor had begged her to change so she wouldn't freeze to death but she had gotten her way by simply walking out the front door like she hadn't heard him at all. "I was thinking, why couldn't I just go back to the Land of the Dead with you?"

"How do you intended on doing that?" Victor asked, more than a little worried by the blazing look in her face and eyes. He'd seen that look before in her eyes and it never boded well.

"Well, Emily grabbed you and took you back so why can't we try that? Just hold me and say whatever it is you have to say to go back." Victoria said as simply as though anyone could have come up with it or that it was shockingly obvious and why-hadn't-her-dearly-departed-husband-come-up-with-it tone in her voice. "Come on, let's try it."

"What if it doesn't work?" Victor asked. He really hoped she had a back-up plan. This one was too simple and silly to be very effective.

"How would it not work, Emily did it to you." Victoria said slowly, thinking hard. It made prefect sense to her, so why shoudln't it to Victor?

"Well think about it this way, I also came to the Land of the Living with Emily from the Land of the Dead. I had already been there so it was like going back." Victor reasoned, stroking the back of her hand with his cold fingertips. "I was unconsious when she brought me there, so I don't know how she did it."

"If it doesn't work, I'll stay here and wait until I die. That shouldn't be too long of a wait concidering how worried everyone seems about my health." Victoria said cheerily. She had everything settled in her mind as to what she wanted to do, but Victor wasn't going to give up without a fight.

"Victoria, you can't just go to the Land of the Dead with me! You're needed here, what would they do without you!" Victor said shocked, trying to persuade her to stay. He wasn't sure Victoria would approve of the Land of the Dead and he wanted to put off her having to sty there for eternily as long as he could. Victor didn't want her to suffer as he had when Emily had kidnapped him and forced him to stay in the Land of the Dead.

"Who needs me Victor?" Victoria asked. "No one, thats who! I am not needed here! People need me like they need a cold or the flu."

"Your parent's would miss you." Victor said, but he wished he hadn't afterwards. Victoria's parent's hadn't spoken to her since their weddind day. They had popped by just long enough to tell Victoria what they thought about the whole business and what they thought about her and her future husband. They had disowned her upon hearing the news she was marrying Victor. Victoria hadn't been upset - indeed, she seemed almost glad at the prospect of never having to talk to them again, but Victor was careful never to bring it up in case it upset her anyhow.

"My parent's never speak to me anymore, you know that. I'm dead to them." She giggled slightly. "What difference would it make to them if I really died? Anything else or is that your only loop-hole?"

"Well, your friends from the city that always come to call. What about them?" Victor tried.

"What about them?" Victoria asked. "You know they only liked to come because we're rich and having us as friends was good conections. Try again if you must, though I don't see the point. I'll stamp that flame out as well."

"I know you will, but forgive me for trying." Victor mumbled. He held his arms out wide and Victoria smiled running into them to wrap her arms tightly about his waist. Victor moaned, knowing this would all end badly somehow. "Hopscoth!"

There was a cloud of smoke that burst suddenly around them, blurring their vison of the woods. When the smoke cleared they found themselves standing in Elder Gutnecht's tower room he kept as a study. Elder Gutnecht was asleep at his desk, the papers fluttering around as he breathed deeply... if skeleton's breath at all that is. Victoria gasped and Victor placed a hand over her mouth to stifle it. Better to slip out quietly than to wake Elder Gutnecht up Victor reasoned with himself as he led Victoria to the door of the tower.

"So you're back then lad?" Elder Gutnecht rasped. Victor turned around and stared at him. Elder Gutnecht had woken up and was hobbling over to where they stood as he spoke in his long drawl of a voice. "And who is this you have with you then my boy? Is she alive or do my eyes deceave me?"

"She's alive, Elder Gutnecht." Victor sighed, pushing Victoria forward to shake Elder Gutnecht's hand. She did so, curtseaing _(Bet it's speeled wrong)_ politley. "Elder Gutnecht, this is my wife from the Land of the Living, her name is Victoria. Victoria darling, this is Elder Gutnecht. He helped me go back to the Land of the Living to see you."

"She can't be your wife boy!" Elder Gutnecht chuckled sadly.

"Well why ever not?" Victoria gasped. Elder Gutnecht gave her a sad, stern look.

"Because my dear, 'Until dead do us part' has taken effect. Victor here is already dead." Elder Gutnecht said slowly. Victoria gasped and fainted dead away. Victor managed to catch her before she hit the ground, but he couldn't wak her. "Poor thing, took the news rather badly didn't she?"

"Of course she did!" Victor yelled jumping up. "We love each other you old bag of bones! Now I'm dead, she has no one to care for her, she's deadly ill, and we're no longer married! Shocked indeed I should say!"

"No need to put it that way my young friend." Elder Gutnecht said limping back over to his pile of books. "We can of course perform the cerimony."

"What cerimony?" Victor asked, confused and a little worried. he didn't want to hurt Victoria or live without her, but he wasn't sure what to do in this situation. "What cerimony are you talking about sir?"

"Why, the one you and Miss Emily planned to go through with of course, with the Wine of Ages!" Elder Gutnecht laughed. Victor shuddered. Just the thought of what he and Emily had almost done made him want to explode into a million tiny pieces all over the walls. He had almost given up the one persson's love he had been most keen on getting a hold on - Victoria's love. And all because he had thought she had given her heart to another man. "Shall we do it then?"

"We'll have to wait until Victoria wakes up Elder Gutnecht to deside. It's her desision because it's her life she'd be giving up for me." Victor sighed, picking Victoria up gently in his arms. "I'll come back here when she's desided on what to do."

"Until then my boy, until then!" Elder Gutnecht shouted as Victor shut the door on his shouts.

_"My one and only love, and it all belongs to you my dear." Victor smiled, taking Victoria's hand in his as they walked out of the church together and into the night as it engulfed them like the ocean does the shore. The night was perfect, and they were married now - free to spend the rest of their lives together however long or short that was. Victoria led Victor over to a weeping willow tree where they had once sat together, watching the sky as the stars came out on the day before their wedding day. _

_"I want to remember this forever!" Victoria sighed wrapping her arms around his neck as he kissed her. Reaching into his pocket Victor pulled out a small pocket knife and carved both their names into the tree bark surrounded by a huge heart. They visited the tree everyday together to remind them just how strong their love really was._

-)(-page break, the line button isn't working for me!

Well hope you liked it! I liked writting it! Please review, all my reviewers get a Corpse Bride cookie and I'll go read one of your stories - but you have to actually review and say something useful. No "I liked it" short, you-just-want-the-cookie reviews please. There will be no cookies for those! lol


	4. The Wedding

Sorry it took me so long to update, but I was busy with school and my other stories. Here we go then!

Disclaimer: I don't own Corpse Bride, Tim Burton owns in... though I am making Emily out of clay form my Craft-Pottery-Sculpture class project (hee he!) I do own the plot however

Chapter 4: The Last Chapter

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_"I love you so mcuh Victoria!" I smiled, kissing my wife on the top of her head as she giggled, returning to her needlework. "Victoria dear, may I ask you something?"_

_"Of course Victor dear, ask me anything." Victoria smiled, never once looking up from her needlepoint, her hands pulling and pushing the needle this way and that._

_"Well dear, I was just wondering how you felt about... about having children." I said softly, looking at her through slanted eyes. Victoria and I had not yet once descussed the topic of children, and I didn't see why now wasn't as good a time as any other to bring it up._

"Well that can never happen now." Victor sighed to himself sadly, returning to his mug. Sitting in the familiar pub where Emliy had once explained that they were married, Victor awaited the time when Victoria would rouse from her fainting spell so they could speak privatly about what to do about their unintentionally ended marriage.

"Why hello there Victor!" Mayhew said cheering, patting Victor on the back. "See you decided to oin us eh? And what about Miss Victoria?"

"She's here too, but not quite in the same way we are I'm afraid." Victor sighed to his old friend, emptying his glass in one swigg. "Victoria is now a wealthy widow, and I'm dead. What are we going to do?"

"Ah, you'll work things ou with her, don't worry about that Sir." Mayhew smiled, and poking Victor in the ribs pointed at the door. "There's the lady now, why don't you go discuss things with her?"

And sure enough, there was Victoria standing in the doorway looking a little pale and confused but otherwise unharmed. She looked around the room, and spotting Victor and Mayhew, made her wauy carefully around the many occupants to them.

"Hello dear." She said sweetly, placing her wamr hand over Victor's cold one.

"Hello, are you feeling better then?" Victor asked, his expression filled with concern. Victoria nodded and sat down beside him looking like a confused child in a way, so strange to her was everything and everyone around her. It was obvious she didn't quite fit in with the rest of the occupants of the Land of the Dead, if only becasue unlike them she was still alive and breathing. "Victoria, Elder Gutnecht has found a way to solve all our problems if only you'll agree to it."

"What is is Victor, you know I'd do anything for you!" Victoria said eagerly. Victor looked into her eyes. They were shining with the same loving, determined look they he had beheld there on their wedding day.

"If we had a ceremony, muuch like a wedding ceremony as it turns out and you drank the Draft of Living Death." Victor said slowly, not meeting her gaze.

"You don't approve of the plan, do you?" Victoria asked quietly, her voice filled with sadness.

"I don't like the idea of my late wife, meaning you, to have to drink poison just so she can be with me is all. It just seems cruel to ask you to throw your life away for me." Victor said, his voice unsteady. "How could I ever ask yuou to do such a thing Victoria?"

"You don't have to ask me." Victoria said, her voice sending all of his doubts down the drain. "It's like what you would have done for Emily, I want to be with you. I'll do it."

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The cry had gone up some hours before of Vicotr's intention of once agin making Miss Victoria his own, causing much excitment in the gathered crowd in the pub... and the rest of the Land of the Dead once the word was spread around thanks to the spiders.

"Come on!" A motherly skeleton called to the small corpse children wabbling behind her. "We're going to be late to the wedding!"

"Oh how I love weddings!" Another chorused, skipping just behind. "And to think, no objections this time! And that's Sir Victor's promise!"

"Hurry up now!" Yet another called to his friend, moting for him to hurry. "It's a long walk to the Land of the Living, and if we don't hurry we'll never get there in time for the ceremony!"

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"And do you, Victor, take Victoria to be your lawfully edded wife - again?" Elder Gutnecht asked loudly enough for the entire congregtion sitting inside the church.

"I do, again." Vicotr chuckled, sqeezing Victoria's hand lightly. She smiled nervously, her eyes turned towards the floor.

"And do you Victoria take Victor to be your lawfully wedded husband?" The old skeleton asked lazily.

Silence throughout the church ensued. Vicotr blinked several times, confused. He looked down at Victoria, who was looking at Elder Gutnecht with a mixture of pity and self-loathing, her face pale as her wedding gown. Still she remained silent. The waiting crowd murmured amungst themselves, wondering what was keeping the flushing bride from completing her vows.

"Victoria dear, do you or don't you wish to marry Victor?" He asked again, growing inpatient.

"I..." Victoria said squeekily, her eyes filling up with tears. She looked at Victor, her hand shaking in his. "I do."

"And now let us complete the ceremony! bring forth the goblet!" Elder Gutnecht cried, raising a bony arm into the arm. A small child-like corspe came forward, holding a cup filled to the brim with a harsh smeeling amber liquid. Victoria shuddered, taking the goblet she was offered. Rasing it to her lips her took a deep breath, prepairing to swallow it in one gulp...

... and then pushed the cup back down, the liquid inside untouched. A ripple was sent around the room, the spectators shocked by what they were seeing.

"I can't do it." Victoria sobbed, thruusting the goblet back at the shocked little corspe. "I can't take my own life, I just can't do it Victor! I love you, but I..."

"I understand Victoria." Victor smiled weakly, taking her hand in his again and pressing his cold lips against it. "You're too innocent and pure to do something that drastic. I never should have usggested it to you. I'm sorry dear."

Victoria looked at him as he turned and began walking down the isle away fromher, intent upon returning to the land of the dead on his own. If he had bothered to turn around, he might have seen Victoria sob once before reaching again for the golden goblet, but as he was too depressed by the recent proceedings, he didn't turn. At least not until he heard the collective gasp from the room at large. Turning he saw Victoria, smiling widely, the empty goblet held upside down in her trembling hand. Victor watched her for some moments, shocked, as Victoria gasped for air before sinking to her knees. When she rose again, she was no longer breathing.

"Looks like you won't be rid of me that easily now Victor dear." She smiled.

"I suppose not." Victor smiled, opening his arms so she could run into them. They were never seperated again.

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Well that's it. Sorry to disapoint you with a short chapter and an ending like that one, but I liked the ending... but maybe it's just me. Who knows? Review please! The submit buttons oh so close! (Hint: CLICK IT!) 


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